3rd Regiment, North Carolina Infantry
3rd Infantry Regiment State Troops completed its organization at Garysburg, North Carolina,
in May, 1861. The men were from Wilmington and the counties of Green, Duplin, Cumberland,
Onslow, Bladen, New Hanover, and Beaufort. During July part of the regiment moved to
Richmond, Virginia, then was joined by the remaining companies some weeks later. After
serving in the Department of Northern Virginia and the Department of North Carolina, it was
attached to General Ripley's, Colston's, Steuart's, and Cox's Brigade. The 3rd fought on many
battlefields of the army from the Seven Days' Battles to Cold Harbor, marched with Early to the
Shenandoah Valley, and saw action around Appomattox. It reported 46 casualties at Beaver
Dam Creek , 80 at Malvern Hill, 253 at Sharpsburg, 3 at Fredericksburg, and 179 at
Chancellorsville. The unit lost 4 killed and 10 wounded at Second Winchester, forty percent of
the 548 engaged at Gettysburg , and 7 killed and 65 wounded during the Mine Run Campaign.
It surrendered with 4 officers and 53 men in April, 1865. The field officers were Colonels William
L. DeRosset, Gaston Meares, and Stephen D. Thruston; Lieutenant Colonels Robert H. Cowan,
William M. Parsley, and Edward Savage; and Major William T. Ennett.